Dillon Brooks is an underrated offensive weapon for Canada
Dillon Brooks loves to be the bad guy. He gets into his character, soaks it in, as if instead of getting featured on the small screen he got shown in the big one. As he expands the figure of the villain into the whole planet in world stage tournaments like the Olympics, he comes up with new scenes to hone the character. What about putting his ear in a rival’s huddle and getting the opposing coach upset? He did it with Vassilis Spanoulis against Greece. Or what about staring at the opposing star and standing before him at the beginning of a defensive possession? That was the case with Josh Giddey against Australia.
“I just relish being a villain, it’s my persona when I get on the court,” he told CBC. “I get into almost character and be ready to play all time hard.”
Jamal Murray, who sometimes likes to play the bad guy too, can feel this inner fire of his teammate.
“He can’t wait to get a technical foul, man,” the point guard said to CBC.
But Brooks’ play can make his villain persona take the back seat. There are more important things on the court than irritating opponents, getting under their skin. And he can do that, too. With 23 seconds remaining against Australia, in a tournament where score differential matters, he erupted to nail a painful three. Splash. Game over. The ultimate villain also rolls like that.
Brooks made the definitive testament to proclaim he can play more than one character. He can be a dagger, a nasty defender but also a refined dancer with elegant footwork to make it to the rim, whether it’s through catch-and-shoot threes, midrange pull-ups, varied finishes after penetrating from the perimeter, or after picking up a handoff. Still underrated in this facet, he is confirming himself as the elite and diverse scorer who etched his name in stone with 39 points in the Bronze-medal game against Team USA in the World Cup last year.
While he effortfully fulfilled his obligations as a fierce defender in Canada’s first two games of these Olympics, he scored 14 points against Greece in 23 minutes and 16 against Australia in 25 minutes. He is the third offensive force behind primary scorers Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and RJ Barrett. But it wasn’t just about the points total, but also his high efficiency, as he shot 9-of-18 from the field and 5-of-7 from downtown.
It might be because of the FIBA rules, because of the boost of wearing the maple leaf on his chest, or, maybe, because he is the apple of Jordi Fernandez’s eyes as the ringleader of his defence-first philosophy. But Brooks is also a star on the other end of the floor when playing for Canada.
“It’s all of those things [different rulebook, coaching staff, teammates]. I like to play for my country, it gives me a lot of passion to do so,” Brooks told BasketNews. “For the game itself, you have to be 40 minutes attentive to detail. All those things add a lot more to a player, and I like the ball as well,” he said.
Fernandez, who was key in Brook’s redemption last year by empowering him through his competitive nature, celebrated it.
“I’m very proud of Dillon. This is what it looks like when they let Dillon Brooks play. And it’s not just about the defensive end. Along with Lu Dort, he is the best defender on the perimeter, but, in addition, he is extremely efficient in attack,” Canada’s coach said to BasketNews.
The big picture doesn’t lie in the comparison between the NBA’s Brooks and FIBA’s. Although the sample is much smaller in FIBA tournaments versus the NBA, Brooks is much more efficient with the Canadian national team while taking a similar amount of shots.
The forward averaged 15 points in the 2023 World Cup playing 27 minutes, going 60 percent from the field on 8.6 attempts per game and 59 per cent from deep with 4.2 attempts. In the actual Olympic competition, Brooks is also averaging the same scoring, 15 points, in even less time, 24 minutes. The closer 3-point line seems to be a boon, but he’s scoring more efficiently from everywhere, not just on 3-point jumpers.
In contrast, he had 10.7 points per game in his first season with the Houston Rockets playing 31 minutes, going 42 percent from the field and 36 percent on threes.
Mississauga’s forward is definitely debunking the cliche of an inefficient and shot-happy offensive player that the exaggerated NBA narrative imposed on him after the 2023 playoffs during which he faced off against the Lakers, which Brooks lost, perhaps while leaning too far into his villain persona.
“I play my game. Whoever is on social media I won’t care about that. I have a presence throughout the world, so I’m going to keep getting better, keep playing my game, and adding more to it while maintaining that defensive presence,” he said to BasketNews.
Brooks is making everybody know he can also be everywhere on the offensive end, he also can be a diligent jack of all trades. He is known as a dangerous threat from the perimeter that might draw the attention of the strong side defender when he doesn’t have the chance to shoot, as the video below shows.
He is capable of many more things. He can elevate himself to bury a midrange pull-up shot, and he’s excellent at keeping his balance during his seemingly wild drives so that he can always rise up for a jumper. He is also terrific at driving to the paint or getting to the rim after receiving handoffs, an area of the game where more and more can be expected from the Mississauga’s native.
Brooks, who stands at 6-foot-6, is playing as a small four in Canada’s starting lineup. That might give him an advantage on the offensive side against bigger power forwards, as they can struggle to chase Brooks when he cuts to pick up a handoff and make his way to the rim. Although he is not the most skilled post player, he can also occasionally fit into this role when he gets guarded by a smaller defender.
His abilities as a handler are also an important asset. While Canada has plenty of primary ball handlers in SGA, Jamal Murray, and Andrew Nembhard, the forward is another option for certain scenarios like specific set plays. And if he’s run off the arc, his straight-line abilities allow him to beat most defenders to the rim. Particularly the forwards against whom he’s matching up.
He might not be the most gifted offensive player, but he revealed to CBC one of the keys to his constant improvement in a touching statement:
“When I was growing up I wasn’t on a top board, so that built me to prove them wrong and have a work ethic that brought me to a stage now,” he said.
Brooks is not as prolific or spectacular a scorer as SGA or Barrett are, but he always has something to offer from different spots. He finishes with double figures over and over and showcases his versatile, all-around talent. His elevated offensive efficiency is another way to be an outstanding defender, as he doesn’t give up transition attempts — because so many of his shots end in makes. He is the perfect example of how to play defence through offence.
Dillon Brooks is more than the bad guy who will get into the head of fancy stars. He is the omnipresent devil whose voice will be heard on both ends. He will be ready to splash shots to make himself hated even more by offering ironic love through his kisses to the hostile fans in the stands. Brooks can’t wait to get a technical foul — but neither can he wait to drive home the dagger from anywhere on the court. He is the ultimate villain, but also the silent assassin, the unexpected hero.
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